Chains
by Zhou-Mak
Summary: A legendary figure from the IwaKonoha war seeks to live in Konoha, he is let in, only to face the most horrifying initiation imaginable...Living with Uzumaki Naruto.
1. The First Links

**A/N**: Hey, yeah, I know that my author name is ZhouMak, and my OC is named that, too, but my name is based on his, this isn't a selfinsert. Besides, if I tried to live in Naruto world, they would kill me out of spite.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, all this, not mine. Except for Zhou Mak. He is totally mine. OK? Good.

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NARUTO: CHAINS

CHAPTER ONE: FIRST LINKS

A figure stepped through the dying leaves of autumn. He paused, placing his hand on the leafless skeleton of a tree next to him as he took in the view. The tails of a green, nearly black trench coat billowed in the wind. The high collar almost obscured the brown hair of the wearer. His voice came forth, quiet and subdued, "Interesting, here the leaves change color, but do not fall. It looks as though the whole of the forest is aflame. No wonder, after all, this is the land of fire, and hiding in these leaves is Konoha. Well, I had best consult my papers to gauge my chances of staying here."

A smooth, dark hand emerged from the over-long sleeves of his coat and reached inside it. When it returned, it had two pages clasped in between the slim fingers. The figure let out a sigh, "Great, this was the place that Iwa needed me for; I hope they do not have much on me. But, this is also the place where I will most likely get lodging, since they still probably do not much like Iwa. And this bounty paper will have to go, nobody is going to want to think that I am hunting down their Hokage. Boy did he give Iwa trouble."

The figure knelt down on the ground, dug up a small pit with his kunai, and placed the paper within, he covered it with a rock and some leaves, then struck a match, and watched it burn. Once he was confident that the paper was sufficiently destroyed, he filled the whole back in, rock and all. Standing up straight once again, he wandered slowly into the village.

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He walked to a giant gate, and prepared to deal with the guards once they recognized his colors and the kanji on his shirt. He wasn't prepared for what did happen, however.

"Hey, you'd better let me through! We just finished a mission and I gotta report to Old Man Hokage! So move it!" The speaker, as you can all well guess, was a blonde fool jumping around in an orange jumpsuit. Standing behind and next to him was a young boy in a blue shirt with a red fan on his back and a pink haired girl with a red dress. Standing off to the side was an older gentleman, wearing a green vest and a half-face mask that inspired an intense hatred in our mysterious figure. This sliver haired person also wore his headband off his head like an eye patch, further cementing the feelings of loathing from the man in the green trench coat.

The pink haired girl and the boy with the fan on his back both said nothing, one out of pure exasperation, the other out of indifference. The guards ignored the orange eyesore that wouldn't shut up and addressed the man in the trench coat. "Hey, we haven't seen you before. Name and affiliation, now."

The trench coated individual thrust his hands back into his pockets and removed a sheaf of papers before handing one to the guards and stating proudly, "I am Zhou Mak, and I have no affiliation. Allow me to meet with the Hokage to remedy that situation." Zhou Mak spared a glance at the children next to him, each trying to assess him in their own ways. Zhou Mak however, looked at the blonde child before speaking to him, "Boy, who are you? You cannot possibly be of any use. Blonde hair and orange clothes only serve to get you killed."

The orange-clad child looked up at him, the girl behind him groaned and the boy just gave a small "Hnn," in annoyance. The blonde grinned, opened his mouth, and shouted for the whole world to hear, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be the next Hokage! Believe it!"

Fighting the urge to wring Naruto's neck, Mak asked about the rest of them.

"I'm Haruno Sakura, and this is Uchia Sasuke-kun," volunteered the bubblegum haired girl while she gestured to the black eyed boy with the fan on his shirt, "and that's our jonin-sensei Hatake Kakashi." She smiled nicely at him, glad she had done something nice for a stranger.

Kakashi finally looked over from his book at who said his name. His eye met the green trench coat and the kanji on his chest and the book went down. The only ones to notice were Mak, who raised his eyebrows, and Sasuke who looked between the two of them. Nothing more was done, because the guards felt the need to interrupt.

"Alright, these papers check out, but you're going under ANBU escort—."

Kakashi cut them off, "No need, guys, my team and I will escort him." Sakura and Naruto were slack-jawed. Kakashi offered help to no one, especially not someone he just met. Sasuke was equally surprised, but showed no emotion. Zhou Mak didn't trust Kakashi, but had little choice, so he went with them. The group had walked a little ways into town, when Kakashi alerted his team.

"Naruto, Sakuse, Sakura, I want each of you to go ahead of Mak, I'll follow behind," Kakashi ordered. His answer was a resounding "Hai!" The students walked in formation, completely unawares of what Kakashi wanted to do. "Where do you think you're going, Mr. 'Chainer?'" said Kakashi as he put a restraining hand on Mak's shoulder.

"I have disowned that name, and if you do not let go of me," Mak spun in Kakashi's grasp, "I will tear you in half. I do not have time for your puny suspicions; I have bigger things to do. Let me see the Hokage, and possibly get instated here." Mak turned again and started walking off, Kakashi on his tail.

"After everything you did, do you possibly think the Sandaime would let you stay here? After that fiasco in Iwa? After the claims of—."

"Did you say Saindaime? What happened to the Fourth? I did not think anyone could take him out. Why is he not still instated?" Mak flung the questions at Kakashi, not caring that he interrupted the infamous Copy-Nin.

Kakashi thought to himself, _Well, if he doesn't know that, then he's not a spy. I didn't think that five years would bring him back. Damn Chainer. If he steps an inch out of line, he's dead. I'll make sure of it._ "Well, I think I'll let the Hokage inform you of that particular event. We had best get going, my students are beating me there, and I'm not a big fan of not being there when they need me." Kakashi started walking off. He heard Mak 'harrumph' behind him, then Mak started walking as well.

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"And then Zabuza asked for a kunai, and I gave it to him, and he ran through all the mercenaries, and cut off Gatoh's head. Kakashi and I did a bunch of Kage Bunshin, and Inari showed up with a bunch of villagers, and we all scared the stupid mercenaries away. Then we waited until the bridge was finished, and we came back. That's it, Old Man Hokage!" shouted Naruto, finally finishing up the report, and sitting down.

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto sat in the three seats before the Hokage's desk, Kakashi was leaning in the corner, nearest the door, preparing himself for the commotion that he expected from the new ninja, which never came. The Hokage excused the team, and while in the office, Kakashi dismissed them.

Zhou Mak sat on one of the chairs just outside of the Hokage's office, patiently awaiting his audience with the 'Fire Shadow.' He heard about Team Seven's most recent exploit, courtesy of Naruto's over-loud voice during the debriefing, and was less-than-impressed. _If Kakashi was not there, then those kids would not have had a chance. Pathetic, they needed at least another eight months of training, then a month of survival training. Sasuke can handle a combat situation, but only so far. Naruto, that orange eyesore, cannot do squat unless he is pissed off, but when he is like that, he is a loose cannon. Sakura is the closest to being an actual ninja, but she is not taking any of this seriously. If that is the way Konoha is training their ninja, then the next village that comes along is going to tear them apart._ He was roused out of this thinking by Team Seven walking out of the office, and Kakashi telling him that he could enter.

The first words out of the Hokage's mouth were, "Sit," and "Talk." It unsettled Mak, which was the intention.

Mak was quickly losing face before the person who would most likely be his boss for the rest of his life. Mak resolved to leave this meeting with a good impression, but in order to do so; he had to treat it like a mission. "I assume that Kakashi has informed you of me?"

"All he said was that Chainer was waiting for me," answered the Hokage, who interlaced his fingers and sat them on his desk, the Hokage that Naruto reported to, all but gone from his visage. This was the Hokage that dealt with the life and death decisions every single day, the one that did the hard work of the job.

"I have since refused to go by that name. Please call me Zhou Mak. I am here to provide assistance to Konoha any way I can," said Zhou Mak, in as commanding a manner as he could.

"Odd request for a spy." As much as Mak wanted to interrupt the Hokage, he decided to wait until the Hokage questioned him again. He didn't have to wait long. "How did you get here? You have no supplies, or clean papers, and a very high profile. Escaping Iwa should have been impossible for you, much less getting as far as Konoha, even knowing how to find Konoha should have been impossible. I have no reason to believe that you have any but the worst of intentions for this village, so you best have some damn good proof, before I call the ANBU and Ibiki."

Mak didn't know who Ibiki was, but figured that if a person as important as the Hokage knew one of his special service ANBU by name, the man in question was especially good at whatever it was he did. "Iwa wanted me gone, I had become a liability and they knew it. They tried their own methods, but failed, so I left as soon as I could. Two weeks ago, I left after my final instruction for the boot camp I ran, they probably only knew I was missing four days ago. As for my lack of supplies, I was able to find shelter and food on the trip. My papers are signed by the men in Iwa, and are supposed to be good in all countries. Finally, my profile is high only in the Fire Country, everywhere else, I am an enigma." Mak leaned back, and even allowed himself a small, internal smile, _I am in the clear now. There were no holes anywhere, and I answered all the questions he asked. I hope I am safe._

The Hokage looked…not as impressed as Mak felt he should have been. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that? Why would the men in Iwa sign your papers if you were a liability? They would have just killed you outright, any ninja village would, Iwagakure is no exception."

"Yes they are." Mak had to keep the words said on this subject quick and to the point, he didn't want to expose something about himself that would condemn him later, especially the reason that Iwa wanted him in the first place. "They called me in as a specialist, they could not afford me to be outright killed, even more so because of what they called me for. They also decided that my methods warranted my extermination."

The Hokage looked at him, expecting him to go on. When no explanation seemed forthcoming, the Hokage asked the question that Zhou Mak didn't want to hear. "What did they want you for, and why did they think you needed to die because of it?"

Mak sighed, and answered the question to the best of his abilities, "I cannot tell you explicitly what it was. That information is of greater value than even my life. Is there nothing I can do to ensure you that you have my fealty?"

The Hokage leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. Mak did not know what to expect, but hoped that it wouldn't be a shout to this 'Ibiki' person.

"Well, there is something you can do for me." Mak knew that this was gonna suck. Nobody began anything nice with that tone of voice, or by stretching 'well' to last an extra five syllables. The Hokage smirked, he didn't miss Mak's face drooping, and continued, "If you want to prove yourself as a ninja, you can act as a bodyguard and caretaker, yes?"

Mak blinked in surprise, _That is all? What is the catch? There is something more to this than he is letting on._ Mak's eyes narrowed as he nodded his head.

The Hokage knew better than to draw this out, so he finished, "There is a shinobi in this village that require surveillance, more than the ANBU can reliably give. Your mission, henceforth, is to act as a guardian of this person, treat him well, since I assume that you have no place of residence here, I will provide a stipend with which you are to procure a new home. Go to this address, alert the ninja there of your mission, and begin packing to find a new place to live. If you complete this assignment, then I will instate you as a shinobi of Konoha." As he finished, the Hokage stood up, scratched out a note on a piece of paper, and held it out towards Mak.

Mak stood up and said, "I am sorry Hokage, but I cannot accept this mission if I become a ninja as a direct result. I will be happy to accept it, but only if I do not, or ever, become a ninja."

The Hokage raised his eyebrow, "You don't want to be a ninja, but you want to go on missions? Can you explain this, it is a most interesting set of circumstances you desire."

Without looking up, Mak began his reasons, "If I am a ninja, then I must be listed in Konoha's Nin Book. If I am so included, and Iwa finds out, then they will come for me, and from the looks of things, Konoha could not survive another attack," _Especially since Iwa would use _those_ units. But I will not tell them that._ "Also, I was never a ninja in Iwa, nor do I have any inclination to become one here. So I cannot be a ninja. Sorry if this displeases you, Hokage."

The Hokage looked at him, deliberated a few moments, and said, "Well, we can cross that bridge when we get to it, you have four days to locate a residence that falls within this price range, and to move the resident of this address in with you. I'd also suggest getting some different clothes, the Iwagakure crest isn't welcomed well in the village. Good day, Zhou Mak, I look forward to working with you in the future." The Hokage extended his hand, and Zhou Mak took it, finally feeling comfortable in the presence of the village leader.

Mak took his leave just after, and the Hokage nodded. Kakashi dropped from the ceiling. "What do you think about him, Kakashi?" asked the Hokage.

Kakashi looked out the door and replied, "I don't trust him, I never will, and I think your doing this, if I may be blunt?"

_When aren't you?_ thought the Hokage, who just nodded his head for Kakashi to continue.

"I think doing this to him is horrible. It's like a sick prank. If it had happened randomly, I'd assume irony, but to do this on purpose?" Kakashi sounded like he was pleading, but he didn't ask for anything directly.

The Hokage responded, his brow furrowed, his voice on edge, "He needs it, someone has to take care of him, and no one will volunteer. I have to make do, and this may work out better than I had hoped. If Iwa tries anything, we have some information on them. Speaking of which, I'd like for you to do some background checking on Mak. If he's anywhere as skilled as Chainer was, then we have acquired a very valuable ally."

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**A/N**: Okay, that's all for you for now. I hope you like it, and if anyone can guess what Mr. Mak's new job is going to be, you get a virtual cookie. If you liked the story, let me know, if you didn't, let me know, if you are indifferent, let me know. I'd love to hear what my readers think. Remember, the audience is always right!!

Next time: Mak meets his new charge, and isn't happy. Settling in is a challenge. Romance? Already? (Not like it hasn't happened before.)


	2. Strengthening Bonds

**A/N**: Hey, yeah, I know that my author name is ZhouMak, and my OC is named that, too, but my name is based on his, this isn't a selfinsert. Besides, if I tried to live in Naruto world, they would kill me out of spite.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, all this, not mine. Except for Zhou Mak. He is totally mine. OK? Good.

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NARUTO: CHAINS

CHAPTER TWO: STRENGTHENING BONDS

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Zhou Mak arrived at the address written on the paper the Hokage had given him. _I need to find a house for the person that lives here, as well as myself, in order for the Hokage to allow me to work for Konoha. _He looked up at the house and grimaced, _This place...I've seen tidier houses of ill repute. Well, no turning back now._ Mak opened the door, and looked for the owner of the apartment complex.

An old, raspy voice came from behind Mak, "Ri' 'ere, Mister. Whatta ya need?" It was a man, probably in his late fifties, his hands were buried to the wrist in his pockets, he looked up at Zhou Mak, awaiting a response.

"I was sent here to this address." Mak held out the piece of paper. The old man ripped it from his hand. Then he started to snicker, then snigger, then outright cackle. Mak could feel the perverted joy seep from the cackling figure before him. It unnerved him, that a person could find such blatantly evil pleasure from the paper. Mak was now having misgivings about this assignment, if the person he was sent to guard could inspire reactions like that, Mak had best be careful.

Once the creepy, old man finished his disturbing laughter, he said, "Third floor, I'd suggest taking the fire escape, he always keeps his east window open. Kami bless ya, sir. You take care of 'em, and I'll git ya what'ivir place here ya want." When the old man finished, he walked away, giggling a little. Mak was alone with his thoughts, _Take the fire escape? What did that old guy mean? _Mak walked up the stairs, and knocked on the proper door, awaiting a response from inside. Nothing.

Mak tried the door, and found it unlocked. He opened it and announced, "Hey, the Hokage told me to help you find a new place to live!" There was no reply. Mak walked in, the hairs on his neck bristling, if this guy needed to be watched and protected, then why would the door be unlocked? Anyone could come in and ambush him, or set a trap.

As soon as that line of thought passed through his mind, Mak found himself under assault from a hail of kunai. Mak raised his arm in reflex, feeling the kunai embed into his coat, but none of the shovel-knives reached the skin through what was hiding in his sleeves.

A figure emerged from one of the closed off rooms, blazing bright, like a sunrise. _Oh, hell,_ thought Mak, _I have to watch him?_ As Naruto jumped out from his hiding spot, he shouted, "HA! You thought you could sneak up on the great Uzimaki Naruto! You…" He stopped in mid-yell, amazed at just who it was Naruto caught in his trap. The child pointed his finger at the older man before him, just before yelling, "It's you!!"

Mak ripped the kunai from his sleeve, "Yeah, it is me. Like I said earlier, I was sent by the Hokage to get you a new place to live. Now, however, I am not sure if I still want to accept this mission."

"Well good, then. Tell Old Man Hokage that I don't want you to either!" shouted Naruto, who hoped that the man before him would run off.

Mak replied, in a voice that was as calm as Naruto's was frantic, "Well, the matter is settled then, is it not?"

Naruto turned around, crossed his arms, nodded his head, and grunted. "Okay," said Mak, "I am staying until you get a new place to live." Naruto wheeled around and gasped, his mouth open.

"But, but, but…you just said you were going to leave!"

"I said no such thing. I said that the matter was settled. Besides, if I do not do this, then I cannot accept missions here, which is something I desperately desire to do. Now, get yourself packed up, we have to go house-searching."

Naruto was not known for his dazzling intellect, he was really more cunning, and was able to come up with jokes and comebacks pretty quickly, so when he got the idea for his next prank, Naruto ran with it. While Mak's back was turned, Naruto muttered "Henge," under his breath, and said, aloud so Mak could hear it, "Shouldn't we at least have gotten a ring or something first?"

Mak turned around, and would have expected an angel riding a pink elephant before he expected what was there. Instead of the bratty punk that Mak had seen earlier, it was instead a young woman, around sixteen, maybe older, who was covered only by wisps of smoke. Mak paused what he was doing, wiped his eyes, and deadpanned, "You know that nightfall is on the way. You should put some clothes on before you catch your death of cold. Did you see a little, noisy, annoying punk run off somewhere?"

The more that Mak spoke, the more that the vision of loveliness before him showed anger. Once Mak finished speaking, there was a pop and before Mak again, was Naruto, who was shouting up a storm, "What's wrong with you?!"

"Excuse me?" Mak was unsure of what Naruto meant, "What do you mean? You were the one trying to look like that and you ask what was wrong with me?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with you? Nobody can see that and still be awake!"

"Nobody, so that works on females, too?" inquired Mak, who smiled as soon as he saw Naruto's face flush.

"NO! Just guys and perverts!" yelled back an embarrassed Naruto.

"Well, then. Since I am a guy, I guess that means I am not a pervert. Do not forget that. From the way the Hokage phrased the mission, it sounds like I will be watching you for quite awhile, so I suggest that we get to know each other. But only after we find ourselves a place to stay." Mak looked into Naruto's eyes, trying to guage whether or not his lesson sunk in.

Naruto nodded his head and said, "Alright. Besides, if you can resist this technique, then there's gotta be a lot you can teach me! Dattebayo!!"

"Hey, Naruto, I asked the old guy downstairs about you and…" Mak noticed that with every word he said, that Naruto's face fell a little more. Mak decided that the less said on the subject, the better, and decided to make a mental note of it. But for now, Mak needed to divert Naruto's attention away from the mean landlord downstairs. "And he said that he'd help me find a place, so I'm going to find him and see what I can do for us." When Mak looked at Naruto next, his smile dropped off his face so fast that it looked like it had never been there. "When I get back, I expect you to have all the stuff packed up, and most of this crap cleaned up. If we are going to be moving out tonight, then this place needs to look like new. And if that is not done when I return, then you have to run twenty laps around the city."

Naruto's face was still wearing it's odd smile when Zhou Mak closed the door. Truth be told, that grin kinda scared the older man. _Who smiles like that when they have such a big job to do? Weird kid. _Mak found who he was looking for. The old man had three other guys behind him, but the old man spoke first.

"Is it done? Is he gone?" The old man leaned forward as he spoke, eager for the answer. The goons behind him just kept leering. It was unsettling.

"He'll be gone before too long. I've just got to go collect him." From the way they acted, Mak figured that the gang didn't exactly expect to see Naruto ever emerge from his room, but Mak needed information, so he played their game. "Oh, do any of you guys know where I can find a place for about 120,000 ryou?"

The group before him looked incredulous. Finally, one of the other fellows spoke, this man had a squeaky voice, the kind that whistled every time he made an 's' sound. "You could buy a whole house with that kinda money, but you don't gotta. We own most alla the apartments in town. If you really did get ridda the kid, we'll let you stay wherever ya want, no charge."

_Okay, I've gotta play this really carefully, one wrong word, and it is going to be really difficult to get what I need._ "Thanks for the offer, but I need a house, I plan on raising a family soon, do you know where I can get one at that price?"

Another of the degenerates responded, this one was also older, but instead of scrawny, he was fat, his voice was a deep baritone, "Well, there are a few places near the shinobi district. If you hurry to the Hokage Tower, I'm sure you'll be able to find one for about that price."

Mak was about ready to thank the men and go back to Naruto, when the little punk saved him the trouble, "Hey, Zhou! I got it all done! Bet you didn't expect that! Dattebayo!" _When I get to him, I'll kill him,_ thought Mak as the faces of them men before him darkened.

The old man that owned the apartment complex that Naruto lived in was the only one that tried to say something that wasn't a string of curses, "Ya said ya wier almos' finished wit 'em. Wha' happened?"

The one guy that had remained silent up to this point shouted out, in a strong, deep, bass, "What does it look like, ya twit? This one's supposed to keep the Demon brat safe, so I guess we'll just hafta go through 'im."

If they had given Mak a pause to talk, then this whole mess might have been averted, but instead, Bass tried to jump him. Mak stood with his feet square on at the man, his hands clasped around each other. As the man tried to get him, Mak did two things. He ducked under Bass's body, and rocketed up his shoulder into Bass's solarplexis. Bass let out a gurgle as he dropped to the floor and tried to catch his breath.

The old man that ran the complex had run off, but Weasel and Fat stayed around. Fat charged Mak and tried for a haymaker, at the same time that Weasel ran around behind him and tried to stab Mak in the kidney. Mak turned slightly to grab and twist up Weasel's wrist, which caused him to drop the knife, but that little victory wound up with him taking the full force of the haymaker to the side of his face.

Fat thought that his hit meant that Mak would willingly take more, so he tried to wade into Mak to find strong resistance. Mak caught Fat's fist, then blocked the second strike with his arm. Fat screamed as his fist connected with what felt like a brick wall. Mak took the time Fat wasted violently exhaling, and drilled Fat in the chin. Fat fell to the floor with a sickening 'thud.'

Weasel had re-obtained his knife by this point, and was looking for a place to stick it. Mak turned about and thrust his fist out to him even thought Weasel was a good five feet away.

Naruto walked down the stairs, we wanted to see what was keeping Uncle Zhou (as the orange eyesore decided to call him). Naruto saw Bass breathing heavy, and Mak standing behind Weasel, who fell on the floor at the same time that Naruto's foot did. Naruto noticed that there was a sizeable distance between Mak and the person that just fell, so Naruto was a little impressed. Naruto started across the floor to congratulate Mak when the landlord erupted from behind a closed door.

"Yaaaaaah!! Today you die, Demon brat!" screamed the old man as he flew through the air, a fire axe aimed at Naruto's noggin. Mak moved quickly, he jumped in front of Naruto, slid on his knees, and held up his arms in front of the blade.

The old man screamed an unintelligible string of babble. Not only did his surprise attempt on Naruto's life fail, but he didn't even cause any damage to the person kneeling before him.

_Praise be to the Kami. I can't believe that I got here in time. Now to finish this._ Mak stood up, ripping the axe away from the landlord while he did so.

The landlord was screaming, "No wonder you try to save him! One demon has come to save another! We're doomed! First the brat, and now he's called in family! Run! Run! Ru—" The landlord never got to finish what he said, because Mak punched him in the throat. While the landlord lay on the floor, gasping and gagging, Mak grabbed Naruto from the neck of his shirt and hauled him upstairs.

"What the hell were you doing? I gave you a job to do, and instead you run down as soon as you are sure that my back is turned."

Naruto interrupted, "Hey! I got it done, so I came to see what was keeping you. How was I supposed to know you were in the middle of a brawl? By the way, you did really good. Can you teach me how to block an axe with my arms like that?"

Mak was nearly at Naruto's door. "First thing, I know better than to believe that you got that done, second, you are supposed to say 'you did really well' not good, and third," Mak stopped, thought for a second, "that is a secret." He then threw open the door to Naruto's apartment. Mak then dropped Naruto on his ass. "If you were fast enough to get your entire apartment clean this fast, then how could you not get out of the way of that idiot with the axe?"

Naruto looked sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand while he replied, "Well, I'm not actually that fast."

Mak followed up with, "Then how did you do it?"

Naruto gave the back of Mak's head a big, goofy grin and responded, in the same way Mak said it, "That is a secret." Mak grunted and walked in. True to his word, the entire apartment was clean, and all of Naruto's meager belongings were in a few boxes by the door.

"Alright then, Naruto. We are going to the Hokage Tower to get our new house, then we are moving this stuff there. Lock your door, and meet me on the roof." Mak left. Naruto picked himself off of the ground, did as he was asked, then trudged up to the roof.

"Well, as fast as your apartment was taken care of, I expected you to be tailing me."

Naruto responded, "I told you that I wasn't that fast."

Mak continued on like he never heard Naruto open his mouth, "So, instead you're going to prove how fast you can be. We are heading to the Hokage Tower, and if you are not in front of me the entire way then you still have all those laps to run. After you move in all your stuff at the new house."

Naruto gaped. He was so caught off guard he almost missed Mak's next few words. "Since I know I'm faster, I'll give you a five second head start. Starting…now."

Naruto jumped up and ran, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, no longer paying any attention to Mak. Mak, the person that challenged him to this insane task, was standing on the rooftop behind him, just watching. _Okay, so that's the way to the Tower. I should thank him for showing me, but I think I will just keep him sweating a little longer. Besides, the longer he thinks that I am beyond him; the longer I can keep his respect._ After making sure that Naruto wasn't going to notice him following, Mak started off after him.

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Once Mak and Naruto arrived at the Hokage Tower (Naruto was much happier after he found out that Mak arrived second), they went inside and found the Sandaime bent over a large stack of papers.

It was the last stack to do for the day, then Hokage Sarutobi would be able to go home and rest. The absolute last thing on his mind was—. "Old Man Hokage!! I gotta talk to you!! Dattebayo!!"

Sarutobi took the four second break from when he heard that yell to when Naruto would actually show up, to bang his head into his desk a few times. But when Naruto opened his door, Sarutobi was all smiles.

Mak followed Naruto into the office of the man who held the highest rank in the village. He was a little scared, especially after having to beat up the few villagers that he had to. Mak was hoping to just go in and tell the Hokage that they got everything ready for Naruto to move in, but he needed to come here to get the place. Naruto broke those hopes wide open.

"Hokage, you should have seen it, just after I finished getting all my stuff packed up, I went downstairs, and Uncle Zhou was kicking butt left and right. He knocked a guy out from ten feet and didn't use any jutsus! Then he blocked an axe with his bare arms! He's really, really, really cool! So is he going to live with me? Huh?" By this point, Naruto was holding himself above the Hokage's desk.

Sarutobi spoke up, "Naruto, before I make that decision, I need to talk with Mak privately. I happen to have a paper right here for a house, priced at about 120,000 ryou. So, Naruto, how about you start moving in while I have my discussion with Mak, okay?"

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He got the address from the Hokage and ran out of the room as fast as he possibly could. When the door closed, the Hokage's eyes became cold, the smile dripped off his face, and the warmth that was in the room dissipated. "So, Naruto tells me that you beat up a few men. According to my reports, those men owned some of the larger apartment complexes in Konoha. They filed complaints as soon as they could talk." The Hokage shuffled around his papers while he spoke, giving an air of not really caring about him.

"They attacked me when they found out that I was not sent to kill Naruto. When Naruto came down the stairs, his landlord lunged at him with the axe, and I stopped it, then punched him in the throat."

"How eloquent. But that's not my point in keeping you here. I need to know if you are Chainer. Tell me, show me, or allow me to find out. Pick your poison." Sarutobi looked Zhou Mak dead in the eye. It scared Mak, _I can't believe how much his mood changed. Naruto is here, and he is all smiles, but when it is just me, his teeth are fangs, and his eyes are tunnels. I have to keep on my toes._

"Well, I can say I was Chainer, but I don't think that will suffice, so I'll show you." Mak walked over to the desk, and raised his arms so that his sleeves dangle. With a quick shrug of his shoulders, several metal weights fell on the Hokage's desk. The weights were attached to chains that disappeared into Mak's sleeves. Mak stepped back, still keeping the weights on the desk while the chains kept feeding from the coat. When Mak got to the door, he pulled the chains. They tore through the air, making a dull whistle, as the metal links rushed back into place.

The Hokage smiled, rather than calming him, Mak was terrified. "So, that was an effective display of your talents, but I would still like to go through my test. Please sit down."

Mak obeyed, not wanting to find out what the Hokage would do if he didn't. Sarutobi nodded his head, and Mak felt ropes wrap around him. Mak shouted, "Hokage, what are you doing?" The Hokage just kept his dark smile and nodded to whoever it was that tied Mak up.

"Well, Mak, I'm just testing to see if you really are Chainer. I know that his ability to manipulate chains in that manner can be taught, and I know that a person's chakra coils can be hidden, but I know one thing of his that cannot be copied."

Mak would likely have just volunteered to demonstrate the property to which the Hokage referred, but he was too busy being scared out of his mind to protest. Sarutobi nodded again, and this time a person entered the room. He was dressed in flowing robes with long dark hair, "Hokage, you requested my services? Please make this brief; I have clan matters to attend to."

Mak took a second to breathe deeply, Mak then realized that the man conversing with the Hokage was Hyuuga Hiashi, the leader of the Hyuuga clan. Mak wasn't sure exactly why Hyuuga Hiashi was here, but he was determined to find out, "Hokage, if you are going to check my chakra coils, then why call the head of the most prestigious clan in Konoha to tell you something that any medic nin can check out?"

The Hokage kept smiling his dark, malicious grin and replied, "Hiashi, in the chest please. On my mark. And Mak, I'm asking Hiashi to check because an internal genjutsu can only be broken by two methods: the person holding it breaks it, or the person holding it dies. I know the real Chainer can't form genjutsu, so I must assume that if you die, we'll find out. Consider this an initiation, of sorts. Now, Hiashi!"

Mak watched as the tall, robed man turned around, his eyes were pupil-less, like the rumors, and the veins around them bulged with chakra. Mak could see the world move in slow motion. Mak saw the glow of chakra around Hiashi's hand, he could see it glow a light blue. Mak tried desperately to remember the bits and pieces of his life that mattered most. His ascension to the rank of High General, his marriage, the birth of his daughter, all the happy points of his life ran together.

The movie reel of joy in Mak's head didn't even last until Hiashi started moving his arm. Then the bad moments played, the death, the betrayal, killing his own student, watching his wife die, finding out the conspiracy against him. That series of clips wasn't over by the time Hiashi slammed his open hand against Mak's chest just over his heart. Mak saw only blackness.

Then he returned to the world. He heard the Hokage ask, "Hiashi, did you notice anything odd when you hit him?"

"Yes, I did Hokage. I saw the chakra around my hand just fine, but when I hit him and released it, it went to the skin, then no further. It was like it was absorbed into nothing."

At this point, Mak felt like adding his two cents, "It dissolved, actually. Chakra cannot exist inside my body, but enough about that. Hokage, what the hell were you thinking? If I had died, Iwa would have come knocking on Konoha's doorstep and run rickshaw over it. Did you not offer me amnesty upon completion of my mission regarding Naruto?"

The Hokage smiled, but it was not the smile of a hungry predator, it was the smile that he gave to Naruto. "Hiashi, thank you. That is all I will require for this evening. I trust I do not need to tell you to keep this a secret?" Hiashi nodded as he headed out the door. "Alright, one question at a time. First of all, I was thinking that even if you could show me that you were Chainer, I had to test it myself, under my terms. Any demonstration you could perform could have been set up to help prove it, but not actually show results. When the Yondaime prepared for an Iwa invasion, he made note about your unique interaction with chakra.

"He mentioned that anyone who planned to cut you with chakra, or force it to enter your body would be useless, and that the best person to try and force a fight with was Maito Gai, because he would not be using chakra to harm you. He mentioned that the Hyuuga would be worthless. So I decided to try it out, and I am pleased to say that it worked.

"Secondly, yes I did offer your citizenship at Konoha for completing this mission, which you did, but I made your offer of work as a non-nin dependant on whether or not you were Chainer, which you were. So no harm done. I'd suggest you get to Naruto and try to get to know him better."

Mak got up out of the chair, thanking Sarutobi, who had been undoing the restraints while he had been talking. "I guess that you want me to take care of the boy, make sure that he survives whatever the hell it is the villagers do to him. Speaking of which, why do the villagers do that? The landlord called him a Demon brat. What is going on with that boy?"

The Hokage looked at Mak, his eyes tired and showing his age, "That is something that only Naruto can answer. Give him time, and don't listen to anyone else's story about it, his is the only one that matters. If you come tomorrow, I'll be sure that you don't get any missions for a year. Get to know him, Mak. I'll expect you in a few days for your second official assignment."

Mak looked confused, "My second? I thought that finding Naruto a new house was unofficial?"

The Hokage looked back, smiling again, but it wasn't the kind, grandfatherly smile, nor was it the smile of a shark catching it's prey, it was the grin of a fox that pulled off a rather nice trick. "Of course it was. Your first official mission is a long undercover mission in Konoha. You are to, for all intents and purposes, be Naruto's father."

Mak looked at the Hokae, his jaw hanging. Mak tried to respond, but only got out a stream of "But, but, but."

"Oh, you're right. He calls you Uncle. We'll use that. Nice catch, Mak. That's what'll make you a great non-nin," said the Hokage as he retreated to his desk to finish up his paperwork. Mak still stood there, stiff as a statue, "You are dismissed, Mak. Remember, if you come here tomorrow, then you won't be working for a year. Good night. My secretary has the address where you will stay with Naruto."

Mak walked out of the office, passed by the Hokage's assistant, and started walking the streets of Konoha, looking for the house that he and his new nephew shared. Mak rubbed his eyes and muttered, "I do not believe this. I have to help him find a new house, I have to save his life, I have to pretend to be his uncle. Lucky for him that I think he is an alright kid. A little messed up, but that can be trained out."

Mak walked off into the night, turned up the street marked on the page, and walked to his new house. It wasn't really all that big, but it was well-maintained. The white paint and light blue trim looked very nice, and there was apparently either a second floor, or attic.

Mak opened the door, and greeted Naruto, who was sitting in a chair in the living room, reading a scroll. The house was furnished, so Mak bade Naruto good night, and walked into a few rooms before he found one with a bed.

Mak took off his coat and hung it off the hook on the back of the door, put his boots under the bed, took off his jeans and folded them. _We are definately going to have to go shopping tomorrow, because I need new clothes, and Naruto will not be wearing anymore orange. I will make sure of that. I think I will fill him in on the new 'arrangements' tomorrow. For now, I need some sleep, today was very…interesting._ "Hey, Naruto, do not stay up too late, alright?" Without waiting for a reply, Mak got down to sleep, and rested in a bed for the first time in a month. He was out, and nothing was going to wake him up.

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**A/N:** Okay, that's chapter two. Naruto's new 'uncle' has finished moving in, and now he's going to be meeting the resident ninja of Konoha. I have no idea where this story is moving next, I'm pretty much letting the characters write it for me, so if weird stuff happens, don't hate me.

Next time: New clothes for Naruto? Meeting the Jonin-senseis for all the kids? A social coming-out party? What is this, the Antebellum South?

**Remember:**If you liked the story, let me know, if you didn't, let me know, if you are indifferent, let me know. I'd love to hear what my readers think. Remember, the audience is always right!!


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